Before my study abroad in Rome, I was expecting lots of pasta, gelato, sightseeing, and culture shocks, but it was way different. Rome was a place that started to feel like home because of the people and places. From the area we lived in, to the areas we explored for sightseeing, eating, and shopping, going abroad was the best and most rewarding experience I’ve ever had.

As a student at Michigan State studying advertising management, this program helped bring everything that I've been learning in the classroom into the real world. It was so cool to be able to roam around historic monuments and talk about campaign strategy, creating social media content, or just talking about the ads we see around us. I was able to record and document a lot of my program on my own social media platforms, but also as the social media manager for the program along with one other student. This was very rewarding and really made me do a deep dive into everything we did so I could share accurate and beneficial content for future Spartans. This hands-on experience was absolutely one of the most beneficial parts of the whole program.

The academic parts of this program will shape my career, and will no doubt help me become the most successful version of myself, but that is not it. There were also the social and fun parts of the program. This was trying to perfect my coffee order in Italian every morning, learning to slow down due to their culture, and figuring out how to navigate a completely new city with students who would eventually become some of my closest friends. It was very intimidating at first being in a completely new country surrounded by a different language. But over time, you pick up on things and get more comfortable.

I will forever be thankful that I was able to experience this opportunity, and part of that was due to this scholarship. Studying abroad is expensive, and that scares students away. But due to scholarships like this one, it is within reach. I do not come from a highly wealthy family, and I was worried about cost, but then I learned just how much support is available. Scholarships like this one made it possible for me to have this experience without putting a huge financial burden on my family. And now, having lived it, I can say: it’s not only possible, it’s worth every second.

Name: Landon Sundelius
Status: Senior
Major: Advertising Creative
Hometown: Iron River, Michigan
Program: Advertising and Public Relations a la Mediterranean